One Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and fluffy dumplings simmered with vegetables in a savory broth.

# What You Need:

→ For the Soup

01 - 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 1 bay leaf
08 - 1 tsp dried thyme
09 - ½ tsp dried sage
10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 cup frozen peas
12 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - ½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

→ For the Dumplings

15 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
16 - 2 tsp baking powder
17 - ½ tsp salt
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
19 - ¾ cup whole milk
20 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, carrots, and celery, cooking for another 3 minutes.
02 - Add the chicken pieces and sauté until lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes.
03 - Stir in bay leaf, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and vegetables are softened.
05 - While the soup simmers, prepare the dumpling batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined. Fold in parsley if using; do not overmix.
06 - Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Stir in the frozen peas.
07 - Drop tablespoons of dumpling batter onto the simmering soup (you should get about 12 dumplings). Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The entire meal comes together in just one pot, which means maximum flavor and minimum cleanup on those nights when even loading the dishwasher feels like too much
  • Those tender, fluffy dumplings somehow manage to be both light and satisfyingly hearty all at once
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, making it perfect for batch cooking
02 -
  • The most common mistake people make is lifting the lid while the dumplings cook, which releases the steam they need to puff up properly
  • Make sure the soup is at a gentle simmer when you add the dumplings, not a rolling boil, or they will cook unevenly
  • The dumpling batter should be slightly thick and sticky, not runny like pancake batter, or they will not hold their shape
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumpling dough for perfectly uniform portions
  • If the dumplings are still raw in the center after 15 minutes, cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes

Return